YamChops Vegetarian Butcher & Prepared Foods

Michael Abramson, Toni Abramson and Jess Abramson of Toronto, Ontario run YamChops, a vegetarian butcher and prepared food shop, and asked for $250,000 for 20 per cent of the company. The shop makes plant-based products in-house including carrot lox, no-crab crab cakes and a Szechuan beef made from pea, soy and wheat protein, sold from a 1,500 square foot retail space with a 1,300 square foot production kitchen. The business has been operating for almost a year and is tracking toward $550,000 in sales, with the butcher counter making up about 40 per cent of sales, cold pressed juice 20 per cent, and a deli counter 20 per cent. The founders said they had received about 100 location requests, with 25 to 26 considered serious, and wanted the investment to prepare the business for franchising.

Michael Wekerle went out because he avoids businesses with food expiry dates. Joe Mimran went out over concerns that expanding into catering and other areas would complicate a franchise model. Manjit Minhas and Michele Romanow both felt it was too early to franchise and went out. Jim Treliving offered $250,000 for 30 per cent equity along with a 50 per cent say at the table, citing the need for control over growth given the risks of franchising; the Abramsons accepted the deal.

YamChops Vegetarian Butcher & Prepared Foods appears to have closed. Its products may no longer be available.